It is hard to believe the Advent season is almost upon us! This year's theme, "How Does a Weary Word Rejoice?" comes to us from the Sanctified Art ministry.

Below you will find a schedule of opportunities for worship, study, fellowship, and service. More details on each event will be shared in the weeks to come. We hope you will join us and invite others as we use this season to reflect upon what it means to seek the hope and joy of Jesus Christ in a conflicted and weary world.

Printed copies of our Adult/Youth and Children's/Families devotionals will be available beginning November 26, but if you would like to download a copy now, PDF files are available here:

• Adult/Youth Devotionals
• Children/Families Devotionals

Join us in the chapel on Sunday, November 26 at 9:45am for the final presentation of Rev. Dr. Kathy Reed's doctoral project. For any who weren't able to make the previous presentations, this session will include a recap of the project and time for questions and discussion.

Calling all Cookie Bakers and Cookie Monsters

Join us for the 28th Annual Christmas Cookie Walk fundraiser Saturday, December 2.

There are many ways to participate. All money benefits Habitat for Humanity and builds houses. All details are available on www.auburnopelikahabitat.org

Everyone is invited to attend Saturday and buy and enjoy Christmas cookies which supports the local work of Habitat for Humanity. The Cookie Walk helps build homes, and we recently dedicated home #73 and we are building homes #74, 75, 76, and 77 this Fall.

Ways you can help:

•     Dec 1, Friday 2-7pm Bake and deliver cookies and/or help receive and set up cookies and decorate at True Deliverance Holiness Church

•     Dec 2, Saturday 7am-12 pm Help with the Cookie Walk filling tables and cookies.

•     Dec 2, Saturday 11am – 12pm help with clean up.

•     Dec 2, Saturday 8am - 12pm come enjoy and buy Christmas cookies. 

Please share this information with others and invite them to Cookie Walk. Like and share this information on Facebook at Auburn Opelika Habitat for Humanity

Time to Order Advent Poinsettias!

If you would like to place a poinsettia in our sanctuary/chapel for Advent (until Christmas Eve), please fill out this ORDER FORM and submit it along with $20/plant by Wednesday, November 29. Additional paper forms will be available in the narthex. The plants will be in the sanctuary beginning December 3.

Pictorial Directory Sign Ups

In the upcoming weeks there will be more opportunities to have your picture taken for the new Pictorial Directory Picture. It takes just a few minutes for our team of volunteers to take your picture for the upcoming directory so please consider signing up. We will be taking pictures on Sunday, December 17. There will be sign up sheets in the narthex. Please contact Nick Reed if you have any questions. 

This Week at FPC

November 26 - December 2, 2023

Sunday

9:00 AM - Worship Service with Weekly Communion (Chapel)

9:30 AM - Coffee and Fellowship (Baird Hall)

9:45 AM - Sunday School for All Ages

11:00 AM - Worship Service (Sanctuary)

Bulletin for November 26 worship

Sunday Parking Map

4:00 PM - Children's Choir Rehearsal

5:00 PM - Jr. & Sr. High Youth Dinner and Fellowship

Children and Youth News

Game Day Parking: Our parking lot will open at 8 a.m. on Saturday, November 25, and our youth will be collecting $40/per car on a first-come, first-served basis. Kickoff is at 2:30 p.m. for the Iron Bowl.

Christmas Parade Lunch and Fellowship: Join us in the courtyard for a lunch cookout Sunday, December 3 at 1pm and then stay and watch the parade beginning at 2pm.

Children Pre-K through 5th grade

• Children’s choir rehearsal this Sunday at 4pm. The children will have a short time of recreation in Baird Hall from 4-4:15 and then head down to Conway Hall for choir from 4:15 – 5. Then they will make their way back to Baird Hall for dinner. Please bring $3 for dinner.
• Godly Play: After the Word to Grow By (at 11 a.m. worship), children ages 4 to 2nd grade will go to the Godly Play room to worship together for the remainder of the worship service.
• Acolytes! 3rd – 5th grade parents, click the link to sign your child up!
• Worship bags are available for all children during worship.

Jr. and Sr. High Youth

• Jr. and Sr. High Youth will meet this Sunday for dinner in Baird Hall at 5 and Youth Group in the Youth Lounge from 5:30-6:30.

Birthdays 

Nov. 28 - Allen Patterson

Dec. 1 - Bobbie Thurlow

Prayer Concerns & Celebrations

• Please continue to pray for many members of our church who are dealing with illness, significant health issues, grief, and difficult circumstances but at this time do not wish to be mentioned by name. Prayers of healing, wholeness, and comfort for many in our congregation.

• Prayers of healing for Donine Cooper as she continues to recover from surgery. We rejoice that she is now home and prayers for good healing and rest and prayers for Doug as he cares for her.

• Prayers for Jim Foil and his family as they continue to manage Jim’s health.

• Prayers of healing for Charlie Johnson as he navigates health issues. Prayers for Peggy as she cares for Charlie.

• Prayers of comfort for Mike Williams and the Williams family, especially Mike’s sister Jeanine Morrow as they grieve the death of Jeanine’s husband, Kelley Morrow. Prayers for Mike as he cares for his sister.

• Prayers of healing for Todd Jolly’s brother Robby Jolly as he awaits test for a cancer diagnosis. Prayers for Todd as he cares for his brother from afar.

• Prayers of healing and rest for Graves Lovell’s mother as she recovers hip replacement surgery. Prayers for Graves as he cares for his mother.

• Prayers for traveling mercies for Anne Leader and Rich Guether. Anne travels to Italy for four weeks of research. Prayers of healing for Rich’s father Dick as he navigates health issues.

• Prayers for Catherine Wolfe Riley’s father, Ned. Ned found out he has a recurrence of cancer and will be undergoing treatment over the next few months. Prayers for Catherine as she cares for her father.

• Prayers of healing for Elizabeth White’s brother Joe, who has been diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor and is seeking other ways of treatment. Prayers for Elizabeth as she cares for her brother from afar.

• Prayers of healing for Donna Yeager as she navigates significant back pain.

• Prayers of healing for Doug Klinkenborg as he recovers from successful surgery.

• Prayers of healing for Daniel Johnson and his mother as they recover at home after successful kidney donation. 

• Prayers of healing and rest for Donna Yeager’s mother, Patsy Yeager, as she navigates health issues.

• Prayers healing and comfort for Sarah Wolak’s mother, Susan French. Prayers of comfort and strength for Sarah and all her family as they care for her mother.

• Continued prayers of healing for Chris Greer. We especially pray for good healing and rest as Chris recovers from successful treatments. We continue to rejoice with Chris because the latest scans show no sign of cancer. We are so grateful the chemotherapy treatments have been successful. Chris will continue a plan of treatment for the upcoming months. 

• Continued prayers for Jesse Joiner’s mother, Ann Joiner, after her hip surgery. 

• Continued prayers of healing for Susan Stanley’s sister Ginger Hester. Ginger has been receiving treatments for health issues. Prayers for healing for Ginger and prayers of thanksgiving for all those who are caring for her. Prayers for Susan as she cares for her sister.

• Prayers for Brooke Myers as she cares for her father, Charlie Myers. Charlie is recovering from a fall and has moved to Morningside.

• Prayers of healing for Debbie Duin’s friend, Ann Suttles, who is undergoing chemotherapy for cancer.

• Prayers of healing for Carolyn William’s sister Beverly Huey as she navigates health issues. Prayers for Carolyn as she cares for her sister.

• Prayers for Amy Kilner and her family (daughter in law of Dorothy Moran). Amy is in need of a kidney transplant and is currently looking for a donor.